Landscapes will be removing the surface from #1 gold and white tee box. We cut a temporary road that routes customers around the work area. Signage is up and the starter has been informed on the work being done today and he is also directing traffic. The pro shop has also been informed and we will keep them posted with updates as the Landscapes crew moves around the course today.

This is how today will play out.

1stthey will remove the sod from #1 tee box and use a laser to take shots of the area being worked.

2ndthey will move to #12 tee box and begin moving topsoil around and shaping the tee box.

3rdthey will move to #17 tee box and begin using the mini excavator to remove the tier and begin shaping the tee box.

The most common question going around is ‘Why are they moving around the course and not just completing one tee box at a time?

The answer is that material from some of the tees will be used to finish other tees. An example is that the #17 gold tee tier is being removed and some of that material will be transferred to #12 gold tee to fill and shape. Also the sod will be brought in in one large shipment. So all the tees will be prepped before sodding begins.

Snap your fingers & the seasons change in the Yampa Valley. Fall is just around the corner and the golf season is in full swing. The golf course battled through one of the hottest June and Julys I can remember and is looking beautiful. The tawny hues of the native grasses are defining the edges of the golf course. Birds are stopping by on their way to wintering grounds and preseason football is underway.

This summer created challenges but I’m happy with where we are. We struggled to keep up with Mother Nature running our irrigation pumps at full tilt for weeks on end. Now that cooler nights are upon us and daytime temps have come down we are able to focus our attention on other projects.

We have finished up some draining projects that caused both playability issues as well as esthetic issues. We have completed solid tine aerification on our tees and have begun the process of solid tine aerification in the rough grass areas. We have a few other projects worth noting that are set to begin in the weeks to come. On August 28th we’ll begin the process of renovating several tee boxes on the course and practice facility. In early September we’ll be installing new restroom facilities on the golf course. And finally, in October we’ll begin the process of core aerification on tees, fairways and rough. This may seem overwhelming but we will do everything to keep the golf course playable and enjoyable throughout the entire 2017 season.

Tee boxes are where the imagination of every hole begins and it’s now time to address the issues of the less than ideal conditions on some teeing grounds.

Many of the tee boxes at Haymaker are showing their age. For some it’s compaction that’s difficult to alleviate. For others it’s a crowned surface that makes finding a playable lie difficult. For other tees it’s a design characteristic that does not allow us to take advantage of the square footage necessary to handle the amount of play this golf course receives.

The American Society of Golf Course Architects recommends that tee boxes be replaced every fifteen years if heavy play is a factor. We have made it well beyond that time and have been playing on less than favorable conditions on several teeing grounds. Although it’s not ideal to play on a crowned tee box, you can still enjoy hitting that smooth draw when the ball is teed a few inches above your stance! (Silver Lining!)

As the projects begin we’ll post which holes we’re working on and the time frame for that hole to be completed. We’ll also post which tee box we’ll be using on that hole whether it’s a forward tee or a temporary tee. We’ll also post where cart traffic will be routed to get around the construction if needed.

We are happy to say that Landscapes Unlimited is the company that’ll be renovating our tee boxes. Landscapes Unlimited is a company that specializes in everything from golf course construction to renovation projects.

The holes with selected tees that’ll be completed this season are #1, #5, #7, #12, #17 and the driving range. The project will comprise of 5 steps on each tee box that is selected. 1st the sod will be removed from the tee surface. 2nd the subsurface of the tee box will be rototilled to alleviate compaction and create uniform material. 3rd the tee box surface will be laser leveled with a 2 percent grade for drainage. 4th the tee box will be re-sodded. And finally the tee box will be watered and cared for until the root system is established.

When all is said and done this project will be a stepping stone in a direction of improvement for our golf course. Maintaining a golf course is another way of getting through a season. Improving a golf course is making a difference. There is never a right time to do something on a course. It will always come across as an interference or annoyance to a round but if you have patience in the process and we take one step at a time this will be the beginning of something great!

Verticutting 2017

Why do we verticut?

Verticutting is critical to maintain and promote healthy putting surfaces. The greens at Haymaker are Pencross Bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera). Pencross Bentgrass was chosen for the Haymaker golf course because of its hardiness in the Rocky Mountain climate and its vigorous growth during the short summers in the Yampa Valley. Here is a short blurb on the development of Penncross. “In the 1930’s, bluegrass was the turf of choice for fairways, with Seaside and vegetative bents found on the greens. Summer heat and other stresses left them vulnerable to weeds, Poa annua and disease invasion. An aggressive bentgrass was needed to compete on golf courses. Professor Burt Musser took on the challenge by gathering bentgrass strains from several locations, and established a research and development program that integrated seedling vigor, seed yield, various soil types, aggressiveness, disease resistance, low mowing properties and overall appearance and color. After years of research, the finished product was named Penncross.”

Because of its vigorous lateral growth, verticutting is performed to ‘clip’ stolons and promote a more vertical growth pattern. Bentgrass has a tendency to lie over and develop a small amount of grain from its natural growth habit but also from the maintenance practices it receives like mowing and rolling. When the verticutter is used it will stand the leaf up allowing the mowers to get a clean clip producing a smooth putting surface.

Verticutting also opens up small grooves in the putting surface to allow a light topdress to work its way into the canopy. This light topdress is important because it reduces the potential for thatch accumulation and also promotes a firm but receptive putting surface. Topdressing also protects the crown of the plant while mowing at short heights.

And finally, verticutting removes a small amount of the leaf tissue from the greens. Bentgrass has a tendency to become overcrowded and spongy if it’s allowed to grow without management. From the maintenance side this can cause greens mowers to scalp the surface. For the golfer this would slow the speed of putts and takeaway from the creativity you can play on some approach shots.

As always thank you for your patience and understanding!

Adam Sando

The verticutting process:

1. Verticutter blades are mounted on a Toro 3100 triplex and ran across the greens in two passes that overlap each other at 45 degree angles

The bottom half of the photo shows the verticutting grooves

The leaf material removed from the green

2. Excess debris/leaf material is blown off of the green

3. A greens mower is used to get a clean clip on the now vertical leaf blades

4. The topdressing is applied lightly

5. The topdressing is brushed into the green

6. A vibratory roller is used to work the sand into the canopy while also removing some of the surface irregularities that are caused during the process